Vincent and Torti to be rehomed at a sanctuary

Vincent and his close friend Torti are to be rehomed together at a very large animal sanctuary that is under construction and which will be managed by Humane Society of Louisiana. It will be Louisiana’s largest no-kill facility. The cats will be adopted by the sanctuary probably early next week. I presume some facilities are already in place. The sanctuary will be a permanent home for Vincent and Torti.

For visitors who don’t know Vincent, Ruth reported on him a long time ago as a cat that was pretty well untouchable partly at least because he had been declawed. He looked mean and unhappy (see photo bottom-right in collage above). At the time he was at a cat rescue center called Zeus’ Place that is located is New Orleans (LA 70115). He is still there and will be transferred out. While at Zeus’ Place he has been well treated spending some time at the shelter director’s (Michelle) home . You can see pictures of him there, in the collage.

The Human Society’s new sanctuary is on a grand scale. The site is 47 acres. Their original shelter/sanctuary was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. As I understand it, semi-permanent facilities were built afterward at Tylertown, Mississippi, and they now have the opportunity to return to Louisiana and create something special.

It will be called Enoch J. Donaldson Animal Sanctuary. It is based in an area called Mt. Hermon (Hwy. 1055 near the intersection with Hwy. 438 on the east side of Mt. Hermon).

This is the good news. I would like to thank Jo SInger for constantly updating me on the saga of rehoming Vincent and his partner Torti. Despite the best efforts of Jo and the shelter staff there were at least two aborted private adoptions. These would have placed Vincent and Torti in a person’s home. This would have been preferable. However, it was not to be. I am little bit sad about that but nothing should be taken away from the efforts of people involved in caring and fighting for these apparently unwanted cats.

Vincent is a very obese orange tabby cat with a bit of white fur. He was described as follows (and still is on the Petfinder site):

If you taste in cats is to look, but not touch, then Vincent is for you. Vincent enjoys the company of humans and cats, but does not want to be held or touched. He is declawed in the front and….

Combine that with the excessive obesity and you have a cat that is not going to be easy to adopt. I suppose this is why he going to a sanctuary. I don’t know why he is obese. It may partly be because he is inactive which in turn maybe because he is hurting from the declawing. I still think it would be wise to have his paws checked out by a vet to see if there is something in the paws causing causing pain. Complications of the declawing operation are not uncommon.

PoC promised a $300 staged (staggered) donation to anyone who would adopt Vincent. That donation will now go to the Humane Society of Louisiana to help in a small way to create what I hope will be a beautiful sanctuary for our Vincent and his close companion, Torti.

I wish them the best of luck for the New Year and for the rest of their lives.

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Comments

Vincent and Torti to be rehomed at a sanctuary — 23 Comments

Barbara on December 31, 2013 at 7:42 am said:
So pleased for them, the people at both places sound very kind and caring, I do think that if they can do anything to help Vincent then they will, they seem to have thought a lot about him and looked after him well all these years, can’t wait for the next instalment.
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Jo Singer on December 30, 2013 at 9:44 pm said:
Caroline and everyone! I spoke with the contact purrson at the sanctuary this morning. She will be contacting Michelle to inquire if Vincent can have his paws xrayed prior to his move to the sanctuary.
Apparently the sanctuary is in a very rural location and local vets don’t have the equipment to do the job. So I will stay on top of this. I am to contact her in the middle of next week.
Everyone thought it would far better for the cats to be transferred to the sanctuary after the holidays are over to avoid any kitty escapes when company arrives, etc. I think that is an excellent idea, purrsonally.
So please stay tuned for the next chapter. The kitties are still with Michelle!
But- they will definitely be at the Sanctuary- and hopefully Vincent’s paws will be xrayed so we will have a better idea about the condition of his poor declawed toes.
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- Michael on December 30, 2013 at 10:22 pm said:
  Great update, Jo. You are a lovely lady and very helpful.
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Dan in Tempe on December 28, 2013 at 6:51 pm said:
Thank goodness for kindhearted people that are willing to help cats.
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- Jan Plant on December 29, 2013 at 3:14 pm said:
  Glad to hear that Vincent is finally free of that dang cage! Sad also that he has never found his human companion . He and Torti look as though they will be living the high life in a wonderful place! I agree with y’all that Vincent’s paws should be examined! Hate the fact he was ever de-clawed , but as it can’t be undone , I pray there is something they can do to help him be more active and pain free! Thank you so much for the update!!
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  - Michael Broad on December 29, 2013 at 3:36 pm said:
    Hi Jan, Happy New Year. Jo Singer is in contact with Zeus’ Place about a vet check on his paws. However, I am not sure if we can pull this off. Once Vincent is moved to the new sanctuary, it may be very difficult to organize it at a distance. I don’t know if he is there yet, either. Also it might need a specialist vet to check out his declawed paws properly.
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    - Jan Plant on December 29, 2013 at 6:32 pm said:
      Happy New Year to you as well and everyone here! Yes I suppose the best we can hope for is that the right thing is done. If not perhaps we can bug them until they do get it done.(Usually works for me ,if I bug people enough they finally just give in and do what I ask so that I’ll go away! LMBO) Am sure you can do it quite more diplomatically then I , my temper usually gets in my way . And when it comes to helping a poor animal it has a quick fuse . Getting better at it , as I know that calm and steady usually works better with these shelter and sanctuary folks. So I suppose we an wait to hear an update with Jo. Again , happy our boy is no longer caged and has his buddy with him!
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Caroline on December 28, 2013 at 1:36 am said:
I guess I’m confused. Are we trying to financially help get the poor dear examined and the horrid declaw (nerve damage?) mess fixed if it even can be, before he has to go through the move to the sanctuary? I can’t imagine the trauma of it all for him. Thank goodness he has humans and a sidekick, Torti, who care so much.
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- Jo Singer on December 28, 2013 at 4:18 pm said:
  Caroline- I will be contacting the sanctuary folks to ask them to please have their vet xray Vincent’s paws. He is more than likely already placed there with his best feline friend, Torti. We are not even sure that this is his problem- although it is logical to think so.
  The folks at the sanctuary that adopted the cats truly love them, and they will be taking the best of care for their new fur-family members. Will keep y’all updated after I have the opportunity to speak with them.
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  - Caroline on December 28, 2013 at 7:15 pm said:
    Thank you, Jo, for replying. Knowing that they are most likely already settling in helps sillyme not to worry.(sorry!) I am really looking forward to seeing photos of their new home. (What a blessing for all of the little orphans.) Like everybody here/there, I just hope something can be done for Vincent’s pain, because it sure makes sense that it would be the cause for his not wanting to be touched.
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    - Babz on December 29, 2013 at 7:22 am said:
      Caroline don’t call yourself “sillyme” for worrying, the world is a better place for people such as you, it’s the ones that don’t care and don’t worry that are wrong.
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- Michael Broad on December 28, 2013 at 5:42 pm said:
  Jo has kindly responded to your question. A good question. I think he should be examined by a vet just to make sure his paws are OK. It is a check box that needs to be ticked. I hope Jo receives a response to her query.
  I can’t see a big problem in organising that. I hope it happens.
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  - Caroline on December 28, 2013 at 7:42 pm said:
    Neuropathy is something that debilitates me most of the time. We never get used to it, do we. Jo, Michelle, Zeus’s Place volunteers, everyone involved are highly esteemed, respected and loved for what they are actively doing for Vincent, and I will stop needlessly worrying from afar. Point well taken 🙂
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    - Michael Broad on December 28, 2013 at 8:03 pm said:
      It is a good to worry. It shows you care. We like that.
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Caroline on December 28, 2013 at 1:31 am said:
Did I miss the time of the move or was it not detailed? Is it still possible for us to contact Zeus’s Place to make a donation for his paw exams and possible surgery, before the transfer to the sanctuary?
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Rose on December 27, 2013 at 8:43 pm said:
I’m pleased too that Vincent won’t be caged any longer and that he with his friend is going to be in a settled place even though it’s not a home of their very own.
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- Michael Broad on December 28, 2013 at 5:43 pm said:
  Yes, it is the next best thing and it is at least a decent life. There must be hundreds of thousands of cats like Vincent and Torti who don’t make it.
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Dee (Florida) on December 27, 2013 at 5:47 pm said:
Sounds wonderful for both of them.
The adjustment period may be a little longer than some, since Vincent has been at Zeus’ so long. So happy both will be together.
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Ruth aka Kattaddorra on December 27, 2013 at 5:35 pm said:
I’m just relieved that Vincent won’t be spending any more time in a cage, he looked so miserable in that photo I saw of him sitting in a cage every time I visited that site for statistics for Jean Hofve.
I’m so happy that he has Torti as a friend and that they are both loved and will be together always, a happy ending to a very long story 🙂
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- Michael on December 27, 2013 at 6:29 pm said:
  Totally agree Ruth. It has to be a substantial positive step. I hope Vincent and Torti settle in nicely. Vincent deserves some nice times as does Torti and they both have each other which is always a good thing and it should help with settling in.
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Babz on December 27, 2013 at 5:16 pm said:
So glad that Vincent and Torti will be together and the sanctuary sound like a lovely place, it is a shame that they aren’t going to have a home and hearth to themselves and a(wide) lap to lie on together but I’m sure the carers at the sanctuary will love them and look after them well, it’s good that they’ll be able to get outdoors and get some sun on their backs and roll in the grass, I only hope Vincent isn’t in pain with his poor paws. This has been a long journey and it’s not quite over yet, Ruth has worried about Vincent for years, I’m glad she never forgot him because through her alongside Michael and Jo in a wonderful joint effort with Zeus’s Place it’s looking like a happy ever after might be possible for Vincent and Torti. It’s a lovely idea to give the donation to the sanctuary Michael.
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Jo Singer on December 27, 2013 at 4:41 pm said:
Vincent is a very special kitty- and loved deeply by Michelle and all the folks that work and volunteer at Zeus’s Place. Michael is correct in that Vincent is a cat that is very difficult to place in a typical home environment. Over the past months trying to get Vincent and Torti placed in a home was, for all of us involved, a roller-coaster ride- feeling the joy when it looked like they would be placed in a home, to the bitter disappointment when these placements didn’t work out.
But at the very least, both of these kitties will never be separated- they are joined at the hip, in fact. They will live out the rest of their days at this new Sanctuary and will have the freedom of a protected indoor-outdoor arrangement where they will be safe, but able to enjoy the sunshine and a romp in the grass together. They will have the company of other cats and kittens which they greatly enjoy.
We will keep you updated on their progress, and hopefully have some new photos in the near future. These two kitties certainly have a place in my heart- and I am happy that they will be safe and sound. I would like to suggest to the Sanctuary owner that Vincent’s feet be x-rayed in order to learn if his paws are hurting him. If so, perhaps we can all get involved in having his paws fixed so he can play and romp without any pain- which would help him lose those debilitating pounds safely. Thanks for the update Michael.
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Michael Broad on December 27, 2013 at 4:25 pm said:
Update from Michelle (owner of the rescue center where Vincent is now) via Jo Singer:
They have a place for Vincent and Torti in the house until the sanctuary is fully finished. They will have a screened in porch and a cat door to inside. They will be hanging out with other cats and kittens. Should be great!
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